10 minute grammar course 004 - Pretérito vs. Imperfecto – Tips Para Entender Cuando Usarlos

Question 1

Pretérito uses

Answer 1

1) Things that only happened once in the past.

Estuve enferma ayer pero hoy me siento mejor.

I was sick yesterday but today I feel better.

2) An activity or state of limited duration.

Visité a Juana el martes pasado.

I visited Juana last Tuesday.

When done at a specific time use number two.

3) To talk about something that just happened.

4) To talk about a series of completed events when each of these events was completed before that the other begins.

Question 2

Imperfecto uses

Answer 2

Common phrases ‘ used to, going to, often, rarely, generally, sometimes, from time to time, frequently, always

1) repeated actions in the past with no specific time frame.

2) To talk about a future moment from the perspective of the past.

3) To describe states or an action that is happening when something interrupted it.